The captains of the Iron Islands' longships had honed such skills through years of navigating winding waterways. Outsiders could neither learn them nor take their place.
Though the waters around the Stepstones were more treacherous, in their hands, the ships would at least avoid the fate of foreign vessels that wrecked themselves before they even had a chance to learn the channels.
In any case, there truly was no way back for them in the Iron Islands now. Even the last of their foundations were on the verge of being torn out by the roots, and he truly lacked the courage to take these few remaining men and ships into battle against the Iron Throne.
Since they could not return to their old home, could not win a head-on fight, and dared not attack, the only path left to him was to lead his people away and find somewhere else to make landfall and start anew.
They still had their ships, their men, and their skill at handling vessels. Once they reached those islands, he could first gather the men from the Iron Islands who were scattered across the region, then find a few small pirate dens to attack and swallow up one by one.
After that, he would seek out a sheltered anchorage and an island with fresh water to serve as their foothold. Once they had territory of their own, they could plunder passing merchant ships or charge tolls to vessels traveling through those waters, breathing life back into their band.
It was precisely because he had planned so far ahead, and had thought through their course after sailing south so clearly, that Halag was willing to huddle with these men in this cold, damp cave, hiding there for so many days.
The cave never saw daylight, and